Satsubatsu Gumi
To the right is the sashimono of Satsubatsu Gumi, the oldest surviving clan in the Sakura Moon Empire. The top symbol is the Five Rings representing Satsu's dedication to the principles and teachings of Miyamoto Musashi. The rings also stand for the five core principles of Satsu: Honor, Service, Skill, Courage, and Satsu (Loyalty). The katakana translates into "Satsubatsu Gumi". The helmet symbolizes our samurai roots & beliefs as well as our commitment to the craft and the evolution of armor construction within the Sakura Moon Empire. Satsubatsu Gumi, when translated, literally means "Brutal Group". "Satsubatsu" translates into "brutal, bloodthirsty, or savage" and this has been the combat philosophy of Satsubatsu Gumi for the last five years. History Satsubatsu Gumi is a clan with many reputations. From the conception of the clan, above all else, Satsu set out to be known as one of the top clans in as many areas of combat as possible. The first of these happened to be field combat. Satsu spent it's first year with around twelve to fifteen members, typically fielding just above the bare minimum to be fighting as a clan, but in the earlier days they were under-count and were fighting as a pick-up unit. Beginning Being outnumbered and having no stakes in the early, pre-WotS/pre-SME days meant that Satsu focused on fighting in the most aggressive and sometimes reckless manners. Satsu used no shields for the first four-plus years of fighting and that encouraged and forced them to do a lot of their fighting up close and sometimes on top of people. Satsu owes it's rise in notoriety and fame to the Central clans of Ani Hoko and Reikoku Taifuu. These two clans joined with Satsubatsu Gumi many years ago to create the second shogunate in SME history and elevating Kyle Mesaros to the rank of Shogun and giving the boys of the Battousai Shogunate a unified front and an enemy to go after; the Hajime Shogunate. The Battousai Shogunate met on the field of battle against the Hajime Shogunate three or four years ago. It was an overcast Father's Day, making for horrible showings from both shogunates. Battousai was fielding 24 fully armored and well-equipped warriors while the Hajime were fielding 35+ warriors with only a few in armor. Despite a good defense, the Hajime Shogunate found itself bested by the Battousai Shogunate at the first Inter-Shogunate War in WotS. Throughout the Years In late 2011, Satsu started taking in Gaijin. These were typically members from Amtgard that joined into WotS under Satsu but they wanted to retain their Gaijin styles, weapons, and garb. Satsu Gaijin are Satsu, just not Japanese Satsu. Satsu also has a strong Ronin Corps of around ten fighters. Some of the Ronin were originally Satsu members that had to move away and some of the Ronin were members of other clans that fell apart. Satsubatsu Gumi also has two brother-clans; Kurotachi in Miami and Satsubatsu Zasshu at FSU in Tallahassee. Through one solid recruiting blitz, Satsu found itself holding 60+-person practices and fielding around 45 or so to events. Using superior numbers and a mob mentality focused on open-field skirmishing, Satsubatsu Gumi rose to become one of the top battle-clans in all of WotS. At the end of 2011, WotS held the first-ever WotS Clan of the Year competition. Using the numbers and tactics spoken of, Satsubatsu Gumi took the title, just barely edging out Youkai Kobukai for first place. Feburary 2012 Campout At the Feburary 2012 WotS campout, two titans of the Florida Foam Fighting scene squared off. Satsu and Atlantis finally stepped onto the same battlefield opposite of one another after months of talking and trolling and competitive banter. Around 60 Satsu, a handful in armor, went up against a force of 25 or so shield-wielding Atlanteans, maybe half of them in armor. The first battle was a one-life skirmish. Satsu hit Atlantis with a decent charge but Atlantean shield and armor held strong. The Atlantean lines shook up a bit but reformed and held strong. Atlanteans caught out away from the group were quickly dispatched. In the same respect, Samurai charging the Atlantean shield wall were met with a quick death and most Shinobi caught in the Atlantean rearguard were wiped out, but normally after they had done their damage. After the one-life battle around eight or nine Satsu members stood on the field, victorious. Atlantis stepped onto the field for the second battle, a three-life battle, using their knowledge from the frst battle to their advantage. Using a terrain advantage and good field tactics carried the day for Atlantis. Satsu had grinded Atlantis down to both sides only having a handful of people left. A perfect flanking maneuver by Burke Windfall of Atlantis managed to sweep the field clean and claim the three-life battle for the teal and the black. After each battle, Atlanteans and Satsu alike would meet at mid-field and hug it out. After the final battle, Satsu formed up and gave Atlantis a respectful bow from mid-field which Atlantis returned with a sword salute. Champions of Satsubatsu Gumi Isiah "Zaya" Sterling (Battousai Shadou) Five-time Kenjutsu Champion Two-time Middleweight Sumo Champion Hector Fley (Battousai Hekutaa) Kenjutsu Champion Federico "Fed" Cajade (Shadou Zanshin) Two-time Kenjutsu Champion Daniel "Hollywood" Mercado (Shadou Museigen) Kenjutsu Champion "Torg" Kenjutsu Champion Dustin Sams Gaijin Single-Sword Champion Kyle Mesaros (Miyamoto Battousai) Two-time Lightweight Sumo Champion Bobby "Bouch" Bouchlas (Zanshin Kobrakai) Unity Champion Joe T. Roche Kenjustu Champion Category:Groups